Possibly the happiest guy at the draft, Mark Scheifele was selected in the first round, seventh overall by the Jets. “This is a moment that I’ve always dreamed about, and to be the first pick since (the Winnipeg Jets) have been back is an unreal feeling,” said Scheifele. “Walking up to the stage my legs were shaking, my heart was racing. I’m just so excited.”

Scheifele, a 6’2 centre from Kitchener, ON, spent last season with the Barrie Colts. He led all OHL rookies with 53 assists, and finished fourth with 75 points (22g, 53a). “I see myself as a hard-working, two-way, playmaking centre, but I can score and I have a pretty good shot,” said Scheifele, describing his game.

With their first pick on day two of the draft, the Winnipeg Jets selected 6’4, 186-pound, left wing Adam Lowry of the Swift Current Broncos. Adam is the son of former NHLer Dave Lowry who played for Vancouver, St. Louis, Florida, San Jose and Calgary over 19 seasons.

The Calgary, AB native played 66 games with Swift Current of the WHL in 2010-11, scoring 18 goals and adding 27 assists, along with 84 PIMs. Lowry was picked 67th overall in the third round of the draft.

The Jets traded their two fourth round picks (97th & 108th overall) to Montreal to obtain a second pick in the third round (78th overall). With that pick, they selected defenceman Brennan Serville, a native of Pickering, ON who played for the Stouffville Spirit of the OJHL.

A strong two-way player, the 6’2, 184 pound defenceman scored three goals, and added 27 assists last season. Serville has committed to the University of Michigan Wolverines for next season.

In another trade, the Jets sent their fifth round (133rd overall) and seventh round (194th overall) picks to San Jose for the 119th overall pick. With that pick, the Jets selected Zachary Yuen, a 6’0, 205-pound defenceman from Vancouver, BC.

Yuen describes himself as a shutdown defenceman that can make a good pass and chip in offensively when called upon. He spent last season with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, scoring eight goals, and adding 24 assists, along with 65 PIMs and finished the season with a +41 rating.

In the fifth round, 149th overall, the Winnipeg Jets added to their crop of forwards by taking Austen Brassard from the Belleville Bulls of the OHL. Last season the 6’2, 191-pound right-winger from Windsor, ON tallied 19 goals and 15 assists in 67 games with the Bulls.

The Jets added some local flavour to their draft by choosing goaltender Jason Kasdorf with their 157th overall pick. The Winnipeg native spent the last two seasons with the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, winning the Turnbull Cup and Anavet Cup last season, and earning a berth in the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.

“Getting drafted to my hometown team feels awesome, I’ve never been so excited in my life,” said Kasdorf. The 6’4 goaltender has committed to playing at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) of the NCAA next season.

With their final pick of the draft, the Winnipeg Jets selected defenceman Aaron Harstad from the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL. Chosen 187th overall, the Fargo, ND native has been described as a ‘defensive defenceman’.

Listed at 6’2, 199 pounds, Harstad notched seven goals and 14 assists in 51 games with Green Bay last season. He has committed to play at Colorado College next season.